Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-02-04
ST. PAUL, Jan. 31st, 1887.

ST. PAUL, Jan. 31st, 1887.
This was the sensational day of the legis~
lative session. There was public meeting
at the Opera House Sunday night, presided
over by Gov. McGill, for the purT ose of en-
dorsing the high license bill now before the
legislature and bracing up the advocates of
temperance in that body. Gov. Nc Gill,
Attorney General Clapp. Rev. S. G..
Smith and others intimated, some of them
very directly, that the liquor interest was
bribing members of the legislature to vote
against the bill Representative Rogers Of
st. Paul, who is a Republican but opposed
to high license, was exceedingly indignant,
and especially so at the remarks of the Gov
ernor and Attorney General. AS soon as
the order of introduction of resolutions was
reached in the House to-day. Mr.. Rogers
arose and offered the following:
Resolutd, That the speaker at once appoint
a committee of five to investigate and as
certain if any corrupt influences, either
monetary or otherwise, are being used to
influence the members of this house on any
measure pending before this house, or likely
to be brought before it. And as to whether
detectives are employed to watch the mem
bers of the house, with power to send for
persons and papers.
Mr.. Rogers followed this with an ex
ceedingly fiery speech. He said the charges
made were aimed at Republicans because
the Democrats were understood to be OPP
posed to high license on party grounds and
If the charges made were true he wanted
them proven. He did not propose to have
suspicion cast upon his vote when he
gave it that he had been bought
and he did not believe there was member
in the house who was willing to sit still
under such an imputation. he was espec-
tally severe upon the Attorney General, who
he said, was recent importation from Wis
consin and given the position as the result
of deal. He criticised the Governor for not
having advocated high license on the stump
during the campaign and made a decidedly
caustic and excited speech. Mr.. Donnelly
thought it was a sad state of affairs when
the Independent party had to rise to urge
harmony in the Republican ranks: He was
in favor of the resolution and of high license
too but he did not think it impossible for
corrupt men to get seats in the legislature:
He thought if the Savior of mankind could
not select twelve men without getting one
scalawag it was not preposterous to think
some bad men might get into body OF
over one hundred. Mr.. Reyes CRep.) of
Rice, followed with speech in the same
vein as Mr.. Rogers, but not quite so bitter
and after some other brief remarks the res
olution unanimously passed. The news OF
the House sensation spread to the Senate
and quite number of Senators came over
to witness it. A couple of hours later the
House leaven seemed to reach the Senate
lump and Senator Durant (Dem.) of Wash
ingtOn county offered the following pream-
BILE and resolution:
WHEREAS, At a public meeting held In the
Grand Opera house in the city of st. Paul,
Sunday evening, January 50, 1887, an in
timatiOn was given to the public OF the
state of Minnesota by the speakers, who
of the state legislature now in session, and
that members of the legislature Of 1885, had
been Influenced by mercenary motives in
their votes and actions relative to the Dues
ton of high or low license; therefore he it
Reso1ued, that it is the duty Of this senate
the members Of this senate to make a full
and complete investigation of the charges
that affect our position as public officers
and our characters as private citlzens3 and
be it further
Resolued, That the president of the Senate
duties it shall be to fully examine into and
investigate the inlputations cast uponathe
members of the Senate.
Senator Durant followed with speech
saying that he was present at the Opera
House and heard the speeches and thought it
was their duty as public men to investigate.
Senator Crandall proposed to amend by
inviting those making the charges to ap-
pear before the committee, which Mr.. Du-
rant accepted. Senator Ward (Rep.) of
Waseca made speech violently denounc-
ing the Opera House speakers and
regretting that the governor presided,
Senator Comstock (Rep.) of Clay, appeared
in the role Of q peacemaker, but not very
successfully, and finally to avoid hasty &C
ton gave notice of debate which sent the
resolution over until tomorrow.
Outside of the high license episode legis-
lative proceedings were tame to-day. Four
teen bills were introduced in the Senate,
only one, for the establishments of an insane
asylum at Fergus Falls, being of general
character Two local bills were passed but
no others, and no afternoon session was
held.
The House was more Industrious than the
Senate as it held two sessions but without
any thrilling results beyond what have
already recorded. Twenty-six bills were
introduced and among them one by Mr..
Donnelly forbidding tho watering OF railroad
stock and then charging rates to earn interest
on the water. Another bill by Mr.. D. re-
quires the consent Of the railroad commits
sioners to increase the stock and then such
increase must BIO absolutely paid in cash.